The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus to aid an operator in performing the function of properly aligning a pair of stereoscopic prints and providing a means of holding the prints in permanent alignment. The invention also provides a print cropping function which is used to crop the individual prints separately or as a unit.
The recent development and marketing of an easy to use stereoscope for viewing standard sized prints (4 inch by 6 inch) obtained from modern 35 mm cameras has made it practical for amateur and professional photographers to easily produce stereoscopic images. These images are produced by sequentially exposing two pictures with one camera with the camera displaced to the side for the second exposure, or exposing two side by side cameras to the scene at the same instant. When the film is processed, two distinct photographs are generated that make up a stereo pair which must then be aligned and joined to create a single stereogram.
The new stereoscope requires the stereo pair of prints to be presented in an "over and under" alignment in which both prints are in a single plane and one print is arranged so that its lower edge is above the upper edge of he other print. However, it is a tedious task to properly align the images in the prints for viewing. As a result, many stereo print pairs are either never permanently aligned or are aligned improperly. This makes stereoscopic viewing very difficult and results in considerable eye strain.
The most common method of holding the stereoscopic print pair in alignment consists of permanently attaching, with adhesive, each print separately to a backing sheet, usually paper or cardboard, which extends beyond the borders of the prints. This method is cumbersome because it requires great skill to attach the prints in proper alignment before the adhesive grabs the back of the print and makes further positioning adjustments difficult. It is also cumbersome in that once the two prints are attached to the backing sheet it becomes difficult to crop the edges of the prints in an operation known as "setting the stereo window" (the apparent depth plane created by the left and right edges of the prints) without scarring the backing sheet or exposing the adhesive.
The principle object of the invention is to provide an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily align and hold images of two photographic prints together to form a stereo pair.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus kit for cropping the edges of the individual prints for aesthetic reasons or to limit the print to the maximum size that the alignment apparatus can accommodate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily align images of two photographic prints to form a stereo pair by positioning one photograph above the other.
It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily align images of two photographic prints to form a stereo pair with a fixed vertical distance between the images.
A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily align images of two photographic prints to form a stereo pair with no rotation between the images.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily align images of two photographic prints to form a stereo pair such that the stereo window can be specified.
Another object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily join the two prints together permanently so that they become an integral unit in a flat plane.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily crop the edges of the stereo pair for aesthetic reasons or to create a desired stereo window.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily align images of two photographic prints to form a stereo pair by positioning one photograph above the other which is light in weight and compact to facilitate taking the apparatus on vacation travel trips where it may be used in conjunction with quick photo developing methods.
A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus kit for enabling an operator to more easily align images of two photographic prints to form a stereo pair by positioning one photograph above the other which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and relatively inexpensive.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus to permanently join two prints together which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and inexpensive.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for enabling an operator to easily align images of pairs of pictures for stereoscopic viewing which are generated by "conceptual" cameras such as with artwork which is produced by artists and designers and computers.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.